Yinldable barrier for automatic railway-crossing gates



I 1927; I v v 1 628,651 May Y J. R. BURRESS v YIELDA LE BARRIER you AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING GATES Filied Jan. 2 1926 [a one 0H0 o.

' INVENTOR.

' BY g A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT, OFFICE.

JOHN R. sumac, OI ARLINGTON, TEXAS.

roa'au'ronrrc narnwar-cnossme earns.

Application and January as, me. Serial llo. saaoa.

tioner hereof on uly 9, 1924.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a barrier for railway crossin arranged to swing laterally across the hig way so as to be in full view of a proaching vehicular trafiic at all times whi e in motion, thus to avoid accidents commonly occurring by reason of the obscured position of the usual verticall actuated bar, by the vehicle top until the ar assumes a position across the hi hway.

Of partic ar importance among the objects of the invention is the resiliency thereof, the same being constructed in. such a manner as to ield to an impact, should the same be stru by a vehicle without injury to the vehicleor the bar, which features likewise revents the vehicle from being ht within the limits of the block; ith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention further resides in the salient features of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts haremafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings therein;

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the illVGlltlOlL- Figure 2 is a rear end view of the'bar and axis.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the bar, denoting the segmental structure thereof and, a

Figure 4 represents also a detail view of the bar illustrating its yieldable 'nature.

It will be understood in carrying out the invention more in detail that a pair of the bars constructed according to the invention are operative position extend in o posed lateral osition across the vehicu ar highwayimely actuation of the devices is attained throu h a mechanical assembly not 1llustrate or described herein but which consists principally in a multiple cam wheel uired for each crossing and when inv and associated elements, controlled through aninterlocking relay system, the latter being affected by a train entering and leaving the block. I I

Now, the invention resides in the structure illustrated, consisting primarily of a bar 1, which when in operative position, extends in big way. This bar is tical post 2, and has its in a. bearing 3 situated'u on a concrete base pivoted, u on a verower en journaled arallel relationship with the vehicular 4, while the upper end t ereof is journaled in a bearing 5 substantially braced by a bracket 6, secured to a base 7. A strut 8 is mounted upon the to of the post 2 and ex tends downwardly w ere it is bolted inter mediate the ends of the gate bar 1, whereby to uphold the weight of the gate and avoid ssible strain.

In igure2, a side view of the bar mounting is represented, showin a rear end view of the bar, and while a ditional bracing means for the mounting may be superfluous a strut-6a is shown attached to the top of the mounting and extendin to a sunken block a. This brace, it will understood,

may be replaced by the bracing structure illustrated in Figure 1.

Simultaneous corresponding action of each of the gates is established through a link 9, pivotally secured to an arm 10, attached to the ate post 2, and by the use of hell cranks an additional links not shown, the action imparted tothe' described bar is transmitted to its companion bar on the opposits side of the railroad.

Some disadvantages have been found to exist in the use of the vertically actuated gate bar. These disadvantages are centered chiefly on the fact that especially in inclement weather, when vehicles are'equipped for such occasions, it is diificult to discern in what position the bar is located in its descent, or whether it is in action at all. Moreover, such weather conditions increase materially the possibilities of injury to the bar, as well as to the vehicle when the driver, in an effort to stop, collides with the bar, in cases where a rigld bar is employed.

The present invention aims to obviate eventualities such as described by effecting a bar construction wherein expedients are rovided to ermit the bar to yield-to the orce of an o ject colliding therewith. This construction-includes a core 11, of preferably resilient steel and which core is em- 'fl ednn its opposing sides by a series or alined se ments 12, preferably of wood. It

. will be served that each of the inner segwill readi y. yield an which spanseach of the intersections of the exterior segments 12. Obviously, should a vehicle becomeintereeptedbetween the bars, it may be promptl reeased b driving a ainst t e bar, whic return again to its normal positionrafterpassage of the vehicle. Inthe detail figures of the barwilhbe seen aloop 14, provided for the u ose of preventing too acute bending 0 1: e bar,

should; obstacle come in contact there-- with: in, an incom lete stage of operation. loo ,is of suc resiliency as toreadily slide .ofi the obstacle, permittingthe bar to resume movement. It will be noted also thatthe body of the loop is directed o posite the side of the bar most likely tosttntk. This: feature obviates the possibility 'ofjthe loop becoming entan led with the wheels or'other. arts of, :1. ve 'cle,,thus resulting in possi 1e damage either to the 7 vehicle or to; the bar,

Other ex ediencies directed toward the flexibility o thebar include a'pair of coil springs lb, which are arranged to impart a torsional action against the bar to resist any -r movement u on the latter aside fromthe natural actlon of the operating mechanism therefor.v One end of theupper spring 15. is secured to a collar 16,. while its lower; end is bolted to the bar 1. The lower spring 15 is analogously applied, although its action is adverse to that of the former. These springs may be adjusted to secure true position of the bar, should for any reason] the latter should depart from the proper right ar operative position with respect to the highway, such adjustment being attained by rotating the collars 16 on the vertical; post 2, thus to increase or decrease. the torsional action of the springs.

Intermediate the ends of the bar 1, a suitable warning sign. 17 may be situated .as il lus trated in Figure 1, which, if desired may be -displayed 'in connection with a suitable signal light. While the invention has been described 'asincluding all the elements set forth in ,the appended claims, it should be herein understood that certain minor modificationsmay be restorted to if desired without departing from thegeneral intent of, the invention asv established insaid laim I claim; L In an automatic railway crossing gate;

a barrier therefor including a mountin and a post rotatabl journaled in sai mounting; a sectional ar movably mounted on said: 0st having a. yieldable outer end of [on 'tu 'nally alinedfsegments, and a nonresi ient inner end; means on the-extremit of saidouter end to repel the effect of a co lidingobject', and means surroundi said post and arranged to bear against sai nonresilient inner end to im art torsional force thereagainst to yielding y maintain normal horizontaldisposition of said bar.

2. Inan automatic railway crossing gate; a barrier therefor including a mounting and a vertical post '1Otat&bly 1ournaled in said mounting, a bar movably mounted intermediate the ends of'said st and extending laterally therefrom .sai' bar containing a resilient ortion an a' non-resilient portion; said resi ient portion comprising an elongated yieldable member havingspaced' segments on its opposing sides; means to prevent distortion of said yieldable member when the latter is flexed; andtorsion means upon said post'arranged to bear against the non-resilient portion of'said bar to yieldingly maintain the bar in normalposition. 3. In anautomatic railway crossin gate; a barrier therefor including a latera 1y actuated bar havinga resilient outer end portion; a post supporting said ban-means on said post to permit the inner end 'ofsaidbar to yield to an impact to prevent fracture inp thereof irrespective of flexure thereof, and

means upon the extremity ofjsaidbar to repel the imgact of a collidin object.

5. A yiel able gate bar or automatic railway crossing gates, said bar'comprising a laterally swingable member having flexible and non-flexible rtions; a post rotatably supportingv said. bar, means on said post to ar against'said non-flexible portion to permit the same to ield under stress of a colliding obstacle an return the same to its normal position; means on said flexible. portion to permit retortion of the latter when flexed, and means on the extremity of said flexible portion to deflect the force of a contactin object.

6. A 'flGXllJlB bar for railway crossing gates including a laterally swingable barrier havin a resilient outer end portion; a segmental covering for said latter portion, a post rotatably supporting said barrier means 1 on said post 'to permit limited lateral movement of the inner end of saidbar irrespective of the action of said post, and means i post rotata of said resilient portion, to

on the outer end of said resilient portion to deflect the latter from a colliding object.

7. A resilient bar for railway crossing gates including an oscillatable body having a flexible portion, a post rotatably supporting said body, means on said ost above and below the engaging point 0 said body to repel an impact of a forei n object a ainst said body irrespective of t e action 0 said post, and means spaced on opposing sides prevent buckling thereof when flexed.

8. A yieldable bar for railway crossings including an oscillatable body having a yieldable outer end portion, spaced segments on opposin sides of said latter rtion; a

bl supporting said 0d tor- SlOIl springs isposed upon said post to impart inde endent adverse action to said bar above an below its point of securement to said post, and means on the outer end of'said bar to deflect the latter froma contacting object.

9. A yieldable gate bar for railway crossin s comprisin in combination with a rotatable post, a body of yielding and nonyielding sections carried by said post, said latter section adapted to have limited oscillating movement irrespective of the actuation of said post to yield to the effect of a colliding obstacle; said yielding section rovided with means to maintain the orm thereof irrespective of flexure said means comprising alined segments on opposing sides thereof, and means on the extremity of said yieldi section to deflect the latter in event of co ision. v

10. A yielding gate bar for railway crossin s including in combination with a rotatable post, an oscillatable body of resilient and non-resilient sections carried by said post, said latter section adapted to have limited oscillating movement independently of said post and segmental means alined the full length of said resilient ortion to prevent permanent distortion t ereof through flexure.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN R. BURRESS. 

